Pro Measurements

There is a saying we like to use, along with many other woodworkers, measure it twice and cut it once. Nothing is worse than realizing that you incorrectly cut the first time due to incorrect measurements. It wastes materials and adds a lot of headache. Making professional volumes means getting it right and making it look good. With all the angles that you need to make, getting them right is very important. If you are eyeballing this process then you will not get the necessary precision. That is why we are going to suggest tools that take the guess work out and provide you with the precision to make it like a pro.

You are going to need to make many different angles and there are numerous tools that can do the job. We suggest what we found easiest to use. When it comes to the angles and drawing them, we have found a digital angle finder is simple and precise. It is suggested to use one that has a locking mechanism in order to draw your angles. Along with it being made of stainless steel so it can hold up to drawing your lines. The Gemred Digital angle finder is what we use. It is very accurate and fits the previous suggestions. This one features a digital display for easing reading too.

When drawing your lines we suggest using a sharped, fine point pencil with dark lead so that it can be easily read. A 5H pencil will be the best. The reason we do not suggest using a contractor pencil is because they are thicker and harder to sharpen. When cutting the wood, you want to be as accurate as possible and a smaller line will give you that precision. Contractor pencils are great for labeling though and it is highly recommended to label your projects so assembly will be simple.  

Doing large lines and measurements requires large measuring tools. For this we suggest a metal ruler or tape measure. The reason you want to do metal is for the purpose of drawing the line. The metal is stable and will provide a consistent straight line. Our measurements are in inches so get a tape measure that has these increments.

The plans are in decimals too, so to make the conversion into fractions we use https://www.inchcalculator.com/inch-fraction-calculator/

Drawing out the lines is the first part of project. You will also have to make the cuts, so angles are needed here too. This part of the process requires measurement and precision too. (You should be using a saw that can cut at angles.) The marks that are provided are typically not very accurate. They will get you in the range, the range is not good enough. Using a tool like the Digital angle gauge can provide the accuracy you need to set your saw blade at the correct angle. It is magnetic and has a digital display making it easy to place on your blade and set it. With the accuracy range of (+/-).2 and displays to the nearest hundredth. Since the tool does have an accuracy range the saying measure it twice should apply for best results.

These measuring and drawing tools should be the only ones you need in order make professional volumes. Remember measure it twice and cut it once.

If you want to learn how to make professional rock climbing volumes buy the book. It includes all the knowledge you need and has many volume plans. The plans include the angles and dimensions you need in order to make it yourself.